Testing apparatus.



W. S. BI GKLEY. TESTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1910.

Patented Mar.21, 1911.

' ion.

WALTER S. BIGKLEY, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PENN STEELCAST- ING AND MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TESTING APPARATUS.

Original application filed January 4, 1910, Serial No. 536,250.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER S. BIOKLEY, a citizen of the United States,and resident of the city of Chester, in the county of Delaware, State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTesting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to testing apparatus, and particularly to apparatusfor testing vessels, pipes, or other containers subjected to gaseous,fluid or liquid pressures.

My invention resides in apparatus for holding during test a member orseries of members to be tested, such as pipe joints, couplings, unions,etc., or any other suitable vessel or device, and relates particularlyto such apparatus for testing under high fluid, liquid or gaseouspressure pipe couplings, joints, unions, etc., made of cast iron, caststeel, or other material.

More particularly my invention resides in apparatus such as abovereferred to, which comprises a frame or housing adapted to be securedupon its one side to a floor or other suitable base and its top portionlaterally deflected, so that the test piece or pieces may be easilyinserted in position for test.

For an illustration of one of the forms my invention may take, referenceis to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my testing apparatus. Fig. 2 isan end elevational view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a woodenor other buffer or block suitable for use in my apparatus. Fig. 41 is aside elevational view of modified rest pieces suitable for testing pipeelbows or pipe joints of certain types.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a form of apparatus suitable for testinga plurality of simple pipe couplings or other vessels or devices such,for example, as K, K, shown in dotted lines. The housing or frame 37 hasa stiffening rib 37 and may be secured to a floor or other suitable baseat 38, 38. At its one end it is provided with a cylinder 12 extendingthrough an opening in the end of housing 37 and having a flange 13engaging the inner side of the housing. Within the cylinder is disposeda piston 16 which may be moved inwardly by fluid or other medium underpressure supplied through Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911. Divided and this application filed NovemberSerial No. 593,616.

pipe 23. A rest piece 18 has a sphericallyshaped portion 17 adapted tobear in a concavity in the piston 16 to allow pivotal or adjustingmovement of the piece 18 with respect to the piston 16. Attached to therest piece 18 on each side of the cylinder 12 are ropes, cords, or othersuitable devices 21 running over the sheaves or pulleys 20 and carryingthe weights 22 which retractthe rest piece and piston after a test hasbeen completed. Opposite the rest piece 18 is the rest piece 5 having astem 1 extending freely through a perforation in the housing 37, therest piece 5 having a spherically shaped portion 17 to allow pivotalmovement of the piece 5 with respect to the housing 37. A port 29 in therest piece communicates with the central aperture of the rest piecewhich, in turn, communicates with the interior of the test devices K, K,such port being connected to the source of fluid or other pressure bywhich the test is made. A block 19, which may be unperforated, isadapted to rest in a depression in the rest piece 18. And in adepression in the rest piece 5 is adapted to fit the wooden block orring 6, shown in Fig. 3, provided with a reinforcing band or hoop 8, andhaving an internal aperture 7 communicating with the port 29 and withthe interior of the devices K, K.

A single member to be tested or a plurality of devices K, K may beassembled on a suitable board or rack with blocks of wood or othersuitable material 39 intervening between neighboring devices K, K, eachblock 39 being provided with a perforation so that when placed in theapparatus as shown in Fig. l, the interiors of all the devices K, K arein communication with each other. Upon admitting pressure from the pipe23 to the cylinder 12, the piston 16 advances and clamps all the devicesor the single de vice snugly against the rest piece 5 in the positionshown. Then air, gas, fluid or liquid is admitted under pressure throughthe pressure pipe 29 and the devices sub jected to necessary test.

As seen in Fig. 2, the frame 37 has its upper portion, particularly thatportion above the axis, deflected to one side, so that a crane or othertransferring device bearing the board or crate or the test piece orpieces, may lower the same downwardly into posi tion without engagingany part of the frame, which, however, acts as the necessary support ormember for taking the strain of the tests.

As seen in Fig. 4c, the pipe coupling or joint L having its ends at anangle to each other, as shown, may be subjected to test. Here, the restpieces 5 and 18 are supported by Webs integral with or upon the members41 and 42, respectively. The member 4:1 has a stem 4: to extend throughthe frame or housing 37. And the member 42 has the pivotal bearingprojection 17 against which pressure is exerted by the piston, such as16. When in position, a block or brace may be placed upon the top of thepipe coupling L and extend between the same and the frame 37 to preventthe elbow or device L being forced out of position. WV hen securelyclamped, pressure is admitted through pipe 29, as heretofore described.

This application is a division from my prior application Serial No.536,250, filed January 4, 1910.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In testing apparatus, a housing having a horizontal portion adaptedto be secured to a base or floor, vertical end portions, a pressurecylinder and an opposing-rest piece supported by said vertical endportions, said end portions extendin" above the axis of said rest pieceand cylinc er and deflected to one side, and a portion integrallyjoining the tops of said end portions to one side of the housing axis.

2. In testing apparatus, the combination with a housing, of means forsecuring the same in operative position, a rest piece supported by saidhousing, a pressure cylinder supported. by said housing opposite saidrest piece, said housing extending from its securing means anddeflecting laterally from the axis of said cylinder.

3. In testing apparatus, the combination with a housing, a pressurecylinder supported thereby, a rest piece engaging said housing, the axisof said cylinder being horizontal, and said housing deflecting laterallyfrom a position vertically above said axis.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atfixed my signature in thepresence of the two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER S. BICKLEY.

Witnesses "WILLIAM F. BAKER, SENN Boorn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

